Zhutian: Starting from the Space-Time Merchant

Chapter 281 The Red Turban Army will avenge us!
"Not coming?"

What does it mean if I don't come?

Outside Dingxi Town, Lin Dao frowned as he looked at Shi Nai'an, who was approaching on horseback with a shameful expression. "Explain yourself."

"Yes." Shi Nai'an quickly bowed his head. "This humble official writes letters to my friends."

"Lu Yuan, Liu Liang, Chen Ji and others have all replied that they are willing to serve the Ming King and will set off soon."

"The messenger said that he had not found any trace of Robben and wondered if something had happened."

"As for Liu Ji, he said... he said..."

"You refuse to serve me?" Lin Dao stepped forward and helped him up. "From now on, call Luo Ben Luo Guanzhong and Liu Ji Liu Bowen."

"Yes Yes."

Shi Nai'an stood up and glanced at the many guards and personal soldiers lined up.

Liu Bowen replied that he was tied up with worldly affairs and could not make the trip, but in fact he did not want to come.

"understood."

Turning to look at Dingxi Town not far away, Lin Dao waved to Zheng Chenggong, "We'll talk about it after the battle is over."

The place he was referring to after the war wasn't this inconspicuous town in front of him.

Instead, they marched south to attack Yangzhou Road and seize Taizhou, Jiangdu, and other places.

As for the town in front of them, it's nothing but a fool trying to stop a chariot with its bare hands.

Liu Ziren, a local powerful landlord, organized a local armed force to refuse Lin Dao's summons and even killed the messenger sent to persuade him to surrender.

They also hung the messenger's head on a big tree outside the town.

He even boasted, "The next one hanging will be the head of the false Ming King."

Upon learning of this, Lin Dao left the army heading to Taizhou and personally led his personal guards to come and see for himself.

Look at this big landowner, what kind of ability does he have to hang his own head on a tree?

If Liu Ziren has the ability to ride a Taro out of town, Lin Dao will immediately open a time portal and run away, never to return.

Even after the Imperial Guards stormed into the town, Lin Dao did not see anything like Taro or Gundam.

In less than a quarter of an hour, Liu Ziren, whose mouth and nose were full of blood and whose limbs were broken, was dragged in front of Lin Dao.

Lin Dao, in an Asian squat, curiously sized him up. "You're so arrogant, do your ancestors know?"

Zheng Chenggong then advised, "Your Majesty, he has long since disgraced your ancestors."

"Not only did he marry a Mongol woman, but he also married his two daughters to Mongol men, leaving him with no sons to continue the family line."

"Does his ancestor still recognize him?"

Lin Dao suddenly realized, "No wonder, it turns out to be the dogs of the Mongols."

He stood up, pointed to the big tree outside the town, and said, "Let's bury the whole family under this tree."

Liu Ziren was dragged away, and Lin Dao turned to Shi Nai'an and said, "I'm leaving the land reclamation work here to you."

"Those who own more than 100 mu of land should only keep 100 mu of land."

"Those who own more than a thousand acres of land will be strictly investigated to see if they have colluded with the Mongols."

“If so, they shall all be treated as lackeys of the Mongols.”

"Local elders, who have always been wicked, mobilized the people to come forward and identify the perpetrators. After confirming the charges..."

Lin Dao raised his hand and gestured.

"Understood, understood." Shi Nai'an nodded repeatedly. "Your Majesty, rest assured, it will be absolutely clean."

"As for Liu Bowen and Luo Guanzhong."

Lin Dao pondered for a moment, then said, "Once we've taken Taizhou, I'll go find them myself."

Outside Taizhou City, at the Red Turban Army camp.

"Brother Chang."

Xu Da, who had just returned from cleaning the outhouse, saw Chang Yuchun sitting outside the tent wiping his weapons. His eyelids twitched. "What's wrong with you?"

Chang Yuchun, sitting on a small stool, had red eyes and exuded an aura of destruction.

It's like a mountain tiger that's starving and is about to go out hunting.

"Taizhou City".

With red eyes, Chang Yuchun looked towards the distant city walls of Taizhou and shouted, "The city must not be surrendered!"

He was confident in his martial prowess and, when he joined the Red Turban Army, he was determined to make a name for himself by relying on his martial arts skills.

However, after several battles, he never found an opportunity to make a name for himself.

Chang Yuchun was truly blinded by rage at the impending siege the next day.

If he still doesn't get the chance to make a name for himself this time, he'll really lose his temper.

As for how to vent your anger, go to the old camp and beat up your brother-in-law!

Inside Taizhou City, wealthy merchant Wang Kerou was gathering a group of people to discuss important matters.

"The Red Turban Army is just outside the city."

Wang Kerou exclaimed excitedly, "This is the time for us to rise up!"

Although he was a wealthy merchant, he was a fat sheep in the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, and everyone wanted to take a piece of his flesh.

At this time, the world was in chaos, and the Red Turban Army had arrived outside the city. They thought they might as well join forces from the inside and outside to seize Taizhou City and see if they could gain merit by following the emperor.

"This is a difficult matter."

Li Huafu, a chivalrous knight-errant from Taizhou, immediately objected, saying, "Vice Minister Zhao is keeping a close eye on things; it's difficult to even send someone out of the city."

The Zhao councilor mentioned here refers to Zhao Lian, the councilor of the provincial administration of Huainan and Jiangbei.

His family has a long tradition of using Mongolian hunting dogs.

His ancestor was Zhao Hongwei, the Marquis of Tianshui, who participated in the destruction of the Song Dynasty.

During the transition between the Mongol and Jin dynasties, he was one of the Han Chinese warlords from the north who joined Kublai Khan's forces.

Their family belonged to the group of Han Chinese who were among the most successful during the Mongol Yuan dynasty. They were closely aligned with the interests of the Mongol Yuan and were extremely loyal.

Zhang Si, also a chivalrous hero, chimed in, "The Prince of Tan is leading several thousand scouts and Red Army soldiers in Taizhou City. I'm afraid the Red Turban Army won't be able to take it down."

Prince Tan was one of the Mongol Yuan dynasty princes.

This lineage is descended from Möngke Khan, and the current Prince of Tan, Borjigin Wanzhetu, is enfeoffed in Taiping Road (Zhejiang).

Originally ordered to rescue Bianliang City, they happened to be passing through Taizhou when Lin Dao's army attacked the city.

He led several thousand scouts and Red Army soldiers, becoming the main fighting force in Taizhou City at that time.

As for the Tanmaqi Army, it was similar to the Tang Dynasty's Fubing (府兵), mainly composed of Mongol people, and stationed in various prefectures and counties.

They would gather and graze livestock in peacetime, and assemble for battle in wartime. In the early Yuan Dynasty, the Tanmaqi army was extremely powerful.

But now, we no longer possess the strength and fighting spirit of our ancestors.

"This won't work, and that won't work either."

Wang Kerou was dissatisfied, saying, "Such a great opportunity has come our way, are we just going to stand by and watch it?"

"This~"

Li Huafu and Zhang Si exchanged a glance. "In that case, shall I take advantage of the night to leave the city and make contact with the Red Turban Army outside?"

“That’s excellent.” Wang Kerou immediately decided, “I’ll go write the letter right away.”

That night, Li Huafu, who was trying to take a message out of the city, was captured by the patrolling garrison.

Although Li Huafu was tight-lipped, he did not utter a single word even after enduring severe torture.

But the letter that wasn't destroyed in time became a deadly weapon.

A large number of scouts and Red Army soldiers stormed into Wang Kerou's home.

The men killed the women and the women chiseled away; cries and pleas echoed throughout the place.

Zhang Si fought desperately, trying to protect Wang Kerou as she escaped, but his personal bravery was nothing compared to the army's strength.

Amidst a hail of arrows, Zhang Si was riddled with holes.

With nowhere else to turn, Wang Kerou roared, "The Red Turban Army will avenge us!" before committing suicide with a knife.

As dawn broke, the morning mist gradually dissipated.

Bare-chested, Wan Zhetu walked out of Wang Kerou's daughter's boudoir, his slightly chubby face bearing a satisfied expression.

"Big King~"

Zhao Lian, who had been waiting for a long time, hurriedly stepped forward to greet him, saying, "The Red Turban rebels outside the city are already gathering and may be about to attack the city."

The official title of the Mongol Yuan dynasty princes was Ulus, which means a prince with a fief.

Internally, those with titles and fiefdoms were called "Great King," while those without were called "Little King."

"The city walls of Taizhou are sturdy."

The bald man with a three-pagoda shaved head casually tied his belt. "The Red Turban Army doesn't have many members."

"With my elite troops here, they can't break in."

Before Zhao Lian could offer any further advice, a deafening roar came from the direction of the east city wall.

Its sound was like thunder, deafening.

Zhao Lian and Wan Zhetu hurriedly went out, mounted their horses, and led their men towards the east of the city.

Before they even got close to the east city, they encountered the fleeing garrison.

After cutting down more than a dozen fleeing soldiers, the panicked remaining troops finally revealed the news.

"The city wall of the east city has collapsed!"

"A bolt from the blue! A thunderbolt struck and destroyed the city wall!"

"The Red Turban Army sent out sorcerers who knew magic. They pushed a coffin close to the city wall, and after they ran away, thunderbolts struck!"

"What utter nonsense!" Wan Zhetu cursed. "They're all spouting gibberish."

"Charge! Kill all the Red Turban bandits!"

The scouts and Red Army soldiers shouted and charged forward on their horses along the street.

They soon encountered a group of Red Turban Army soldiers who had stormed into the city.

Under the cover of the morning mist, Lin Dao selected assassins to deliver coffins filled with mining explosives to the foot of the city wall.

After being detonated, the city wall collapsed without any suspense.

The first to rush into the city were the imperial guards.

They are well-treated and well-equipped.

When it comes to tackling tough challenges, they naturally go first.

Chang Yuchun, who volunteered to personally lead the charge, felt a burning desire rising in his heart.

With red eyes, he gripped his weapon tightly and gritted his teeth as he moved forward step by step.

No one surrendered the city this time, and he had hoped to claim the credit for being the first to scale it.

But the city wall was blown up, so there was no way to be the first to scale it.

Chang Yuchun's plans to make a name for himself were repeatedly thwarted, and he was so frustrated that he was about to explode.

They scaled the collapsed city wall and entered the city, soon encountering the Red Army's scouts on the street.

In this environment, there are no tactics and no room to maneuver; it's all about face-to-face combat.

The spearhead, made of seamless steel pipe, is extremely sharp with a blood groove, making it a guaranteed kill with a single blow.

The arrows of the scouts were useless against the fully armored guards and personal troops, who could only fight on foot after dismounting.

If they were to fight on foot, they would die even faster.

The main problem is the huge difference in armor quality.

The armor worn by the guards was made from materials that Lin Dao sourced from the modern world.

They were transported to various controlled spaces and time zones and entrusted to master craftsmen for creation.

The lining is made of expensive silk for cushioning, providing excellent protection.

Engrossed in the killing spree, Chang Yuchun charged directly into the ranks of the scouts and Red Army.

With a single shot, he pierced through two scouts and Red Army soldiers. Holding the gun in both hands, he swung the two men around like spear ornaments, smashing countless people.

A burly, strong, and fierce Mongol rushed forward, grabbed his spear, and challenged him to a contest of strength.

He actually managed to fling her away.

Then another Mongol rode up and charged, but Chang Yuchun pierced the horse's belly with his spear.

More Mongols rushed up from all sides.

Chang Yuchun simply abandoned his spear, took the mace hanging from his waist, and began to swing it wildly.

The melon-shaped hammer doesn't look very big, but its head is solid.

One blow from the hammer and bones are broken, tendons are shattered, and the skull is blown apart.

Driven to a frenzy, Chang Yuchun charged forward as if he were in an empty field, brandishing his mace.

A hundred paces away, Wanzhetu, riding on his horse, saw this scene as if he had seen a ghost.

"Such a fierce general exists in the world?!"

(End of this chapter)